Conversations
by Frozenleaf
Summary: It was easy to fight against Lambda. Talking to him? Not so much. Takes place during L&L, Spoilers
1. Hard

_So here I am writing more Lambda-Sophie stuff again (this surprises nobody) although it's just harmless friendship this time. Basically it takes place in-game during the F arc and is supposed to explore the evolution of their relationship through conversations. Because the game doesn't give us enough Lambda-Sophie interactions. So welp. _

_Just as a refresher for people who haven't played the game recently and have no idea where the timeline of these is taking place, this first part takes place in the Amarcian Enclave shortly after Asbel adopts Sophie before they fly off to Fodra to deal with the Little Queen/Fodra problem._

* * *

**Hard**

_"... what is Lambda doing to Asbel?"- Sophie_

* * *

She shouldn't have been here.

The inn rooms in the Amarcian Enclave were old and did little to shut out the cold, and her companions, exhausted from their battle with the strange monsters at the Fendel Glacier Ruins, had fallen asleep quickly. Of course, this meant that nobody noticed when she snuck out of her own room and entered another, and nobody had tried to stop her.

So now Asbel lay in front of her, slumbering peacefully as a faint light pooled in from the window, illuminating his features against the darkness of the room. Nearby, Sophie could make out the forms of her travelling companions- Hubert, his back turned to the light and his glasses placed meticulously on the nightstand next to his cot; Malik, snoring loudly with his covers discarded on the floor beside him, seemingly unperturbed by the cold; and in the furthest corner of the room, she could make out Richard's face, his bright hair distinctively separating his form from the shadows that seemed to engulf him.

There was a familiar pang of pain at the thought. It wasn't too long ago that he had been swallowed by a darkness she wasn't sure he could escape, and it had taken all the courage and faith she had to believe that her friend would recover from the torment he had been subjected to. Watching him sleep now, his features smoothed in peaceful slumber, she was reminded all the more of the reason why she was here at this late hour, instead of in her own room nearby.

That darkness that once threatened all she loved still lingered, taunting her with its presence, sealed away in the body of the man in front of her. The man who had, just a few hours ago, claimed her as his daughter; who had tried to assuage the all-encompassing loneliness that had recently plagued her by trying to give her a place of her own.

He had said he was fine; that nothing was amiss- that Lambda was different now.

But when she watched as Asbel sliced the monsters that attacked them in the Fendel Glacier Ruins, she had been seized by a cold dread that, till now, had yet to subside. In fact, it had only grown worse when the swordsman called her his own, when she was reminded all the more of everything that she would lose should her worst fears come to pass.

Asbel had told her that Lambda hadn't harmed him in any way, but in light of recent events, it was hard enough for her to sleep- not while pondering upon the mysterious woman's words; not while feeling loneliness pressing in all around her; and certainly not while being reminded that her ancient enemy yet lived and was fully capable of recreating the terror he had enacted just six months prior. Forget losing her family to natural causes, or to whatever threat they were about to face on Fodra- Lambda was something she understood, and even if she couldn't stop everything else going wrong around her, he was something that she could at least do something about.

It was a good thing Asbel was a deep sleeper. She knelt down by his bedside, resting her hands lightly on his forehead. Her father would never take action against Lambda without proof, and she couldn't just trust that the creature would feel any reason to continue not-harming everyone she cared about.

And so, she took a deep breath, concentrated her eleth, and looked-

And then suddenly she felt something lock onto her thoughts, her mind drawn into something beyond her vision- a presence so overwhelming that it drowned the rest of the world away.

A deep, savage voice- one that she could recall speaking through Richard's mouth even as his body arced in agony; one that had come from the creature she had hunted and fought for so long; that she could never mistake- spoke.

_"What do __**you **__want?" _Lambda snarled.

The viciousness caught her off-guard, and she gasped, pulling away. She had known the creature was awake, but she didn't think he was capable of speaking to her. Yet, her surprise was soon replaced by a hard feeling in the pit of her stomach, and without hesitation, she touched Asbel's skin once more.

_"You choose to speak with me?" _Lambda asked then, his voice incredulous and yet, dripping with such acidity that it made her skin crawl.

"It wasn't my intention," she assured him sharply.

_"You wished to ensure that this foolish host body remains untouched." _It didn't surprise her that her nemesis knew that much- just as much as she knew what he wanted to do to the world he so hated, he knew exactly what lengths she would go to protect the people she loved. _"You came to threaten me." _

"I came to warn you, Lambda." Sophie spoke softly, but she knew he could feel the weight behind her words. "If you _ever _harm Asbel-"

_"What will you do then? Kill me?" _Derisively, he waved her off. _"You realize that would require your own destruction." _

"I'll do whatever it takes," she spat back.

_"Even harm your own father?" _

She couldn't suppress her surprise fast enough, and with a dull chuckle, Lambda said, _"Do not forget that I dwell in your friend- no, your __**father's **__mind. I know what you said to him as well as he does."_

Sophie forced herself not to flinch. Drawing on all the anger she held towards this creature that toyed with all their lives; that had laughed as he tried to kill her, she snarled, "If you think that's going to stop me from destroying you-"

_"Of course not. In fact, I count on it. You yet believe that if I were destroyed, everyone you love will be __**safe**__, even at the cost of your own life." _Lambda seemed to be enjoying himself. She imagined his presence flitted around her, like a particularly sadistic cat taunting its prey. _"How noble. Or perhaps you simply seek to run away from the loneliness of watching all you love slip through your fingers, unable to grasp them because of what you are- neither human, nor machine." _He pondered for a moment.

_"How fitting then, that these humans you so care for would be harmed the most with your death at my hands. Perhaps- even one of theirs."_

"I won't let you-" she began, rising up to face the old foe she had been created to destroy.

_"Let me?" _Lambda's voice was low and controlled, and she felt herself tense. _"You cannot stop me from taking over this man's mind. Nor can you stop me from doing what I wish to do, should I wish it- I can make you watch your friends turn against you, watch as your beloved father becomes nothing more than an empty host- just as Richard almost became-"_

The mention of the blond king, sleeping nearby, sparked a fury that Sophie didn't know she could feel. They had just settled their differences, and they were _friends _again, and to have Lambda throw that in her face so carelessly- surely there was nothing so evil as someone who seemed completely unrepentant of his past, so completely ungrateful of the second chance that he had been given. "Don't you care about them at all?" she yelled. "Asbel saved you, Richard cared for you-"

_"You seek human emotion from __**me**__, Protos Heis?" _he snarled in return.

"No," she replied lowly as she faced the darkness she so hated. She had wanted to hope that things would be different this time, that Asbel was right- but now, she knew she shouldn't have bothered. "If you ever harm them, I will make you pay," she promised.

_"To hurt me, you would have to hurt Asbel Lhant", _Lambda sneered in reply. _"Could you, really?"_

Sophie tried not to flinch. Yet before she could reply, someone else spoke up, a voice slicing through their shared consciousness like a blade.

"That's enough, both of you!"

It was disorienting, to suddenly find herself pulled out of the emptiness where their minds met, with a stern Asbel glowering down upon her. He had grabbed hold of her wrist and didn't seem intent on letting go, his eyes staring straight into her own. For a moment, as she watched the glow of his left eye, Sophie was reminded all the more of Lambda's words and his influence over her father; of how easily this grip that held her so tightly could be that of her mortal nemesis rather than the man who sheltered her with his own life.

"Asbel-" she began, only to be cut off when the redhead let out a hiss of pain. He let go of her and pressed the palm of his hand onto his left temple.

Sophie frowned. "He's hurting you," she said reproachfully, even as he waved her off.

"He has... a few choice words regarding you," Asbel replied with a humorless smile. Sensing her distress, he shook his head. "Really, I'm fine. Lambda hasn't tried anything-"

"Yet."

"Sophie." When he looked at her, she could still see his disapproval, as well as a strange sadness that seemed out of place on his face. "Don't talk to him. It's clear that I won't get any peace of mind as long as you two continue antagonizing each other like this."

"How can you trust him?" She struggled to keep her voice low so that she wouldn't wake the room's other occupants, but there was no way she could disguise the fear in her voice. "You _heard _what he said!"

Asbel's eyes softened. With a soft sigh, he pulled her close, his warm, big hands resting lightly on her shoulders. Comforting, solid. Not gone, not dead- either by Lambda, or natural causes, or whatever it was that was causing the monsters to spring up stronger than ever. She closed her eyes.

"It's hard for people to change," Asbel told her. "Lambda included."

"Then why?"

He shrugged. "Because he _has._"

"He didn't sound like it," she murmured. After a pause, she added, "He hates me."

"You hate him too," Asbel chided.

"I don't want _you_ to hate me." She peered up at him then; the man who had just adopted her, who watched out for her, who cared for her so much that he'd risk his life for her.

Mismatched eyes looked away first. "I won't," Asbel promised. Gently, he pulled her away. "Please, trust me on this."

She frowned in reply. It was the best that her father would get.

With a sigh, he shook his head. "Go back to sleep, Sophie. It'll be a long day tomorrow."

It was a firm command, but she couldn't help but feel the need to linger. Yet, Asbel was as stubborn as she was, and with a final huff, he gestured the way out through the room's door. He hardly looked like her father- hardly threatening at all, a man at the cusp of adulthood and wearing only his sleeping clothes- but after a while, reluctantly, she bowed her head and left.

But even as she did, she could feel Lambda's glowing red eye watching her, and the words of their unfinished conversation pressed against her heart.

If it was hard for people to change- she vowed that as long as Lambda never did; neither would she.


	2. Rigid

_Takes place after the Eleth Research Laboratory, when the group crash-lands in the Arcadian Garden and just after the Little Queens appear and plead to Sophie before poofing and waiting for her to find them._

* * *

**Rigid**

_"An enduring feeling of loss for those who remain. I wonder if that's what I'm starting to feel; this murky fog building up in my_ chest_."- Sophie_

* * *

When they first left Ephinea, Sophie could never have predicted how things would go so wrong. Not only was this the second time they had been shot out of the sky ever since their arrival, but then they had to contend with the Little Queen- and they had barely managed to escape that debacle. Now, they found themselves completely lost in a garden that was as labyrinthine as it was beautiful, trapped in Fodra with eleth-evolved, hostile monsters spawning everywhere they turned. Yet despite everything they had been put through ever since they had landed on Fodra, Sophie found it difficult to focus on the danger. Not while she was here, in a garden so full of eleth- so full of life- that the very concept of death seemed unheard of.

Here too, she could hear the call of the Little Queens- stronger, clearer. It was a strange tug that pulled her forwards and deeper into the trees; forwards and deeper into somewhere unknown and yet, somewhere so familiar that she could feel the pulse echoing in her memories; her mind.

A part of her knew she had to be cautious, that this wasn't natural. But the Little Queens were calling her, and something in their voices promised her that they spoke the truth; that, were she to listen, she would find another place where she would belong; where she wouldn't be alone. Where eternity would stretch on in blissful peace, where the pain of loss wouldn't haunt her ever again. It was a promise of something so tempting- something out of a dream- and there it would be; past the next tree, the next bend; just beyond her reach-

"Let's stop for a break."

Sophie turned. She hadn't noticed how long they had been wandering through the garden, so caught up was she with her own thoughts, but her friends- her family- looked completely exhausted. She bit her lip- it wasn't hard to figure out that they had continued as long as they did to keep up with her; but human bodies had their limitations.

"Sophie?" Asbel watched her worriedly, and she nodded in reply, stepping close to him. He guided her away from the path she would have followed willingly, back towards the others, resting in the crannies formed by the roots of a particularly large tree. She sat by his side, unwilling to move, her hand interlaced with his. His grip was tighter than usual, she noted, and his face was wan.

She could see the dull glow in his left eye that marked Lambda's wakefulness, and the guilt she felt only grew. Asbel was relying more and more on Lambda's power; and here she was- unable to help him, making him worry over her.

_"You do well to worry." _

She didn't gasp this time as time ceased to move and the world was blanched with a dull gray, but the sudden sentence caught her off-guard. She hadn't actively sought Lambda out ever since their encounter in the Enclave's inn, and he, likewise, had seemed to abide by Asbel's wishes until now. Quickly, the tension that she had forgotten in the light of the Little Queen's appearance returned to the forefront of her mind.

His presence was still dark and oppressive, like a thick layer of mud she couldn't shake off. But despite that, there was an undercurrent to his voice that lacked the overt hostility of their previous conversation. While she could still feel his hate rolling through her, he spoke with a strange, controlled calm; and the unyielding image of Lambda she always had in her mind didn't seem to fit the creature who spoke to her now.

She wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

"What do you want, Lambda?" she asked. She wasn't used to hearing him not yelling out overt threats of her destruction; wasn't used to not knowing what it was he was trying to do. It was as if his intentions were clouded; no longer quite as simple as she originally perceived.

There was an awkward silence, as if the creature before her now felt... uncertain.

_"How strange," _Lambda said at last, his deep voice pensive; unperturbed by the hostility in her voice, _"that our roles are reversed. Last we spoke, it was I who asked that of you."_

"I wanted to protect Asbel," Sophie replied brusquely. Lowly, she added, "I still do."

_"Then you are doing a miserable job of it." _

She tensed, her mind jumping to the immediate conclusion, even though she _knew _there was no way that Lambda had hurt Asbel without her notice: she had checked, almost every day for the past few months-

_"I do not have to impose my will to weaken Asbel Lhant," _Lambda retorted, catching her train of thought easily. _"You seem to do that for me easily."_

It was a barb aimed at her, yet Sophie stopped herself before she launched into a hostile tirade. Calming herself, she narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?" she asked suspiciously, watching as the creature's presence merely hovered nearby, neither attacking nor defending. In fact, he seemed to be regarding her with the same caution that she did him.

_"Asbel worries for you." _His voice betrayed no hint of emotion, but coming from Lambda, the words held a sinister promise.

"You never cared."

_"His worry weakens him," _Lambda shot back. _"Do __**you **__not care? I would have thought Protos Heis would put up more of a resistance rather than let her beloved human father draw more upon my power."_

Sophie frowned. It was true, Asbel had started depending on Lambda's power more and more- but it was the only thing that proved effective against these new monsters that spawned from Fodra. She hadn't been comfortable with it, but she had told herself that Asbel was alright; that nothing was wrong- and he had _been _alright. Lambda hadn't taken over- or perhaps something held the dark creature back.

Looking at her enemy now, his presence dark and foreboding and yet not as vicious as when they last spoke- Sophie wondered.

"Why?" she asked Lambda sharply.

There was a slight pause. Then, Lambda said, _"That woman- the Little Queen. Her words trouble you." _

If anything else, her confusion grew even greater. The way Lambda spoke to her wasn't that of Asbel's kind worry- it was accusatory, and that put Sophie on edge. "What concern is that of yours?" she asked.

_"My only concern is the safety of my host body," _the dark creature stated pointedly. _"I do not believe the Little Queen's intentions to be benign. Not towards humans." _

Sophie felt her heart sink. She couldn't believe that; didn't_ want _to believe that, even though she couldn't deny the Little Queen's show of hostility the first time they met. "You don't know that," she replied. "Besides, they- I-" She stammered, uncertain how to put her feelings to words- the way she instinctively felt that she could trust the Little Queens, the way they emanated warmth and safety- the way she thought that they would listen-

_"They call you home." _Her ancient foe's voice was softer then- almost wistful, if he was capable of it. _"They promise you peace- companionship- and it draws you to them. Like you belong with them."_

She found herself gaping- how was it that this creature so incapable of emotion apart from hate seemed to know exactly what ran through her mind?

_"I have watched you, and sensed Asbel's fear," _came Lambda's tart response. _"It was for that purpose that I spoke to you."_

"You're telling me not to trust them?" she couldn't hide the incredulity in her voice.

_"If you are compromised, I do not think Asbel will be in any position to fight back," _he replied without missing a beat. _"Even were I to take control, I am uncertain whether I will escape destruction. They are... formidable foes." _

Something told her that Lambda wasn't telling her the whole truth, but Sophie chose to focus on the more pressing issue. "I would never put Asbel in danger."

_"The Protos Heis of yesteryear, yes. But now?"_

"He's my family," she protested. "I have even less reason!"

_"Family?" _The intimidating darkness closed in around her._ "Is that why you forget them and chase after spectres? Is that why you feel unable to choose between these humans you profess to love and the Little Queen?"_

Sophie flinched. "I would _never _put Asbel in danger, Little Queen or no Little Queen," she snapped back rigidly as she stepped up to her most hated enemy. "All you want is to stay alive, Lambda; and nothing beyond that! What would someone like you know about family?"

The inky blackness around her faltered.

_"Indeed- I... do not." _There was barely any inflection in his voice, hardly anything to betray that brief moment where she felt his presence wince. But in that instant, Sophie knew she had stepped too far.

Because despite the thousand years they fought each other, there was once was a time when the creature before her once harbored something more than a deep, unrelenting hate. For a brief moment, Sophie had glimpsed that older Lambda- the one that she only knew through his unwanted memories; the one that had once been almost-human.

But instead of mentioning these things, of acknowledging who he used to be, the darkness drew away, and a strange relief filled her chest. She wasn't sure how to deal with Lambda acting as uncharacteristic as he was. And for some reason, the guilt that she had been carrying- the guilt of putting Asbel, of putting her _family _in danger only intensified. She wouldn't choose between the family she had and anything else in the world. It was all she ever wanted... wasn't it?

Quietly, in a muted voice that she would have dismissed as her imagination had she not heard him speak, Lambda asked, _"What is family, Protos Heis?"_

Sophie found herself struggling for an answer. For some reason, the Little Queens sprang to her mind. Their words, their soothing voices, the sense of kinship she felt with them, their call- that inexplicable sense of trust she felt- something deep inside told her that the answer was not one neither she nor Lambda would like.

And reluctantly, Sophie admitted to herself that maybe her oldest enemy had some justification for his worries.

She sighed- Lambda went about it in the wrong way and for all the wrong reasons, but even stubborn as she was, she understood why.

"You needn't worry about Asbel," Sophie promised. "I won't hurt him."

The dark creature said nothing, then. No taunt, no angry promise to destroy her, not even a sneer. But reluctantly, the hateful presence lifted, and just like that, he was gone. Time resumed, and Sophie was slowly aware of Asbel's breath as she leaned against him; of the light, familiar banter that surrounded her.

Once, she would have felt content at simply being with her companions, but now it did nothing to dispel the quiet loneliness that continued building up inside her, that continued reminding her that everything she loved- everything she promised Lambda she'd protect- would one day be gone. Even if she loved them; even if they cared- they still left her with an emptiness inside, a void that could never be filled.

They weren't like her. She wasn't human- created solely to give her life against someone she could no longer fight. And one day she would end up completely alone.

She leaned in closer against Asbel's shoulder, trying to push such thoughts out of her mind; trying to ignore the pull of the Little Queens as they promised her something other than that loneliness that she knew she had to embrace. She was Protos Heis; Sophie Lhant- she would protect those she cared about.

Lambda never understood what a family was. He couldn't possibly understand all that it meant.

But as she closed her eyes and tried to sleep, she couldn't help but feel that neither did she.


	3. Wicked

_Takes place shortly after the Little Queen fight in the Arcadian Garden, presumably with Sophie still shaken from everything._

* * *

**Wicked**

_"We await you, Child of Fodra."- Little Queen_

* * *

The Little Queens' words rang clearer than ever in Sophie's mind, even as the airship took them further and further away from the Arcadian Garden. But even the rhythmic thrum of the airship's engine failed to drown out their words, and the sterile environment inside did nothing to dispel the scent of flowers that still clung to her. Though their presence in her mind had all but disappeared, it was as if they were still around her, slipping through the cracks in her mind, grasping her so tightly that she couldn't wiggle free. And part of her... didn't want to.

She remembered how she had moved towards them, even knowing all the pain they wished to inflict on the people she loved. She remembered the strange stirring of relief that their promise gave her. Dark thoughts had tormented for so many months, and their words echoed, whispering into her mind, promising her the only thing she ever wanted.

_"Eternity without sadness." _

And then she remembered how Asbel had shielded her, had stopped her from going towards that sweet call. How, in the eyes of the Little Queens, their gentility turned into a cold, ruthless hatred; how they had attacked to kill.

And in that moment, the spell broke. But it was too late- all she could do was watch as she realized that her friends- everyone she feared she would lose, everyone she loved, whose existences had caused her so much pain- were about to die.

Until Lambda saved them.

She could remember the flickering web of purple light spreading from Asbel's outstretched hands. There was no mistaking the discordant song in the eleth that she hated so much- it was vast, far greater than she could recall. And as the shockwaves of the Little Queens' attack glanced off its shimmering light, a new emotion twisted at her heart; one that she couldn't place.

And it was but one amidst the many that had become a terrible burden to her.

When they returned to the airship, making straight for Telos Astue, she had waved off her companions' concerns. For the most part they let her be, but she could sense their worry even with her back turned. They had every right to be, given what she'd almost done, but that didn't stop a stray thought from drifting through her mind: were they concerned for her well-being, or theirs?

She wanted to bury her head in her hands, wanted to scream or cry or fight- didn't want to think, to remember violet eyes that were like her very own. Because despite everything, she couldn't bring herself to dismiss the Little Queens' words; just as she couldn't bring herself to forget that- if only for a moment- she would have abandoned her companions to their deaths.

"Sophie?"

She hadn't heard Asbel approach until he spoke, and at the sound of his voice, her fists clenched involuntarily. Of all her friends, he was the one she had been actively avoiding- and not only because she couldn't bear to see the worry and sadness in his eyes. But before she could say or do anything to stop the imminent conversation she had been dreading, she felt his hand clasp onto her shoulder- and then suddenly the world around her was brutally wrenched away.

This wasn't like the last time. There was no gray- this time the world had been ripped away from her and drenched red with _his _fury hammering in all of her senses. She whipped around, and where Asbel would have been, she could see the unmistakable, roiling mass of black and red that was her ancient nemesis, pinning her presence down with so much hate that all that was left was a strange, choking fear.

_"Liar." _It was a single word, but the furor that accompanied it slammed her consciousness with so much force that it knocked the breath out of her.

And in the midst of the swirling darkness, she could sense his murderous wrath- this was not the Lambda she spoke to but a few hours before; nor was he the one that mocked her attempts to protect those dearest to her in the Amarcian Enclave. The creature before her held the same rage as when he had possessed Richard and struck her down- when he wanted to kill her; wanted to make her hurt and _pay. _

"Let me go," she whispered into the darkness. Some instinct told her that she_ had _to get away, that this was a battle she couldn't win.

_"So that you may return to the Little Queens?" _the dark creature snarled. _"Do you take me for a fool?"_

Her gaze shot up, staring into the depths of a chaotic, red vortex. She knew, somehow, that she had failed in some intrinsic way; that the consequences of that failure went far deeper than she understood.

_"Do not dismiss this as ignorance!" _the vortex berated her, his voice so near it resounded in her ears. _"You made your choice, and would do so again if given the chance!"_

She wanted to protest, but the words would not come. Despite her outward denials, she knew what Lambda meant, and she wanted nothing more than to run far away from his accusations. But she couldn't deny that she had walked _away _from her friends, to the Little Queens' outstretched hands; couldn't she pretend she wasn't torn. The Little Queens' call was too strong, and it tugged at the part of her that wanted the pain to _end_, and she couldn't fight it-

_"Liar!" _Lambda's voice plowed into her again. _"Is that pitiable excuse all you have?"_

"It's not-" Sophie began, when she could feel his fury tighten around her, drowning out her words.

_"The Protos Heis I knew would not resort to such pathetic lies," _Lambda raged. _"The Protos Heis I knew treasured her humans far more than she did her life! She would not have been lured away from her goal by false promises of eternal bliss! If she sought to protect something, she would have fought with all her existence!"_

This wasn't a conversation- did Lambda want to destroy her mind, leave her incapable of acting if given a chance? For a moment, she felt terrified- had his power grown so strong that Asbel couldn't sense what was going on? And more importantly, if he did attack her- if she fell like this, now- what would happen to everyone else around her?

Her thoughts only enraged Lambda further. _"How **dare** you!" _His cry was a terrifying thunderclap ringing in her ears. _"You threw away any right for such concerns the moment you chose!"_

Something within her snapped, and Sophie forced herself to shove aside the weight of his fury. She wasn't going to let Lambda destroy everything she was- everything she had to be; everything she _never_ wanted to be. "I didn't choose!" she protested against the darkness that swirled all around her. "I never had a choice!"

_"You wretched fool!" _His voice slammed into her, and she lost her footing, sent tumbling into the darkness all around. Sophie crouched low, hands clasped over her ears as she tried to block out the words of her oldest enemy. _"If you truly cared for the humans as much as they did for you, it would never have mattered!" _

"Like you would know!" she yelled back. "You tried to destroy everything in this world!"

_"And are you so different?" _Lambda roared back. _"You chose the destruction of your own family for your own happiness!"_

"No!" she screamed; because she _had _to, because she didn't want to admit to herself that- that-

_"Your family yet lives, yet you mourn them as if they were gone!"_ His presence pushed against her, a swirling monsoon of wrath that had consumed the entirety of the mindscape, and it took all her strength to hold him at bay. _"The Little Queens were not the ones who traveled planets to save your life- nor were they the ones who raised you as one of their own, who fed you and fought alongside you! Yet you chose them over the people who stood by you in the face of their own deaths!"_

She shook her head, squeezed her eyes shut. Guilt pounded at her heart, fear tore at her lungs, and the unyielding sadness gripped her, drowning her in the futility of her struggle.

But none of that mattered to Lambda. "_Do you think you will find bliss with **them**?" _he spat. _"They, who cannot comprehend anything beyond their mere existence? Do you truly wish to be like them?" _

If it meant not feeling the pain that plagued her, she thought, she would have done _anything_-

_"Are you truly that weak, Protos Heis?!" _

It was Lambda who threw those words at her- but in them, she felt something else other than his unrelenting rage. And it was then that she realized what it was that hurt her so.

Shame- shame for failing, for betraying everything that she was, for her own selfishness. Because she was no longer the girl she had been, no longer the person she thought she was. By falling to the Little Queens' calls, she had done something far worse to herself than anything Lambda could possibly do. And now, she had finally _lost_- not to the creature that attacked her now; but to her own, all-too-human heart.

Her knees shook, but even so, she found it within her to stand. "Isn't this what you wanted, Lambda?" she asked brokenly.

Despite herself, she lifted her gaze, and her violet eyes fixed onto the two red ones that bored into her. His humanoid form was a ghost in front of her, unfettered anger swirling around him. He was the same as she remembered- his face still, his red eyes emotionless- forever the monster she had dedicated her life to fight; not at all the person who had saved those dearest to her.

And in the darkness, she prepared herself to cross arms with the creature she knew so well- because at least when she fought him, she could regain some part of who she _had been. _

_"You think you can dismiss your wrongs by destroying me?" _Lambda snarled, the shadow flaring from his fingertips as he eyed her.

"No," she whispered softly. "But you wouldn't understand."

She saw his eyes widen at the words, felt his power tremble around her. And then before she could move, his anger focused, the power swirling around him tightened. With an anguished cry, he flung his hand out at her, the darkness about to swallow her whole. She closed her eyes, braced for impact-

_"Of course I understand!"_

His attack had slid past her, to the side, but neither one of them stirred. It was as if the world around them stilled, as if the air itself carried their collective shock- as if neither could believe exactly what Lambda had just said.

Because his declaration wasn't borne out of hate- there was still the fury, but beyond that there was something inherently un-Lambda. And in his words... in his words, she found only truth.

She lifted her gaze to see his trembling, outstretched hand, grasping the air lightly as if he couldn't quite believe what he had done. Slowly, her focus shifted to his face, and it felt as if she was staring at her own reflection. Lambda had lost Cornell, had shunned the world that caused him pain- had wanted to destroy it, to save himself from the sorrow that pressed in all around him, and in his despair, he had lost the person that he once was. Just like her.

Sophie found herself staring at the vortex that, just a moment ago, seemed as if it wanted to rip her apart. But now the swirling mass had slowed, and Lambda's face was twisted into a mix of shock and, as the words sank in, what she could only describe as sadness. He was breathing heavily, his body shaking- and he looked far more wretched than any man she had seen before. It was then that she realized that despite all he said, all he had threatened to do- Lambda wasn't about to hurt her. For whatever reason he spoke to her, whatever emotion that drove him to torment her in such a manner- it wasn't one that neither he nor she completely understood.

He broke the silence first. _"All__ you sought to do was to blind yourself to your pain." _His voice was soft, and if anything he sounded... unfocused. Breaking eye contact, he grimaced, pulling back and hiding within the fog that surrounded him- that had always hidden who he was.

"Lambda-" She hesitated, unsure of what to feel; what to say.

They stayed like a silent tableau, neither willing to break the sudden calm that had descended between them. Around her, the mindscape calmed, no longer consumed by the cruel heart of her foe.

And when Lambda spoke, it was more controlled- but his voice was no louder than a whisper.

_"Do you not see the people around you, Protos Heis? You know that were it a choice between their lives and yours- there would be no hesitation in their hearts."_

His words shattered any semblance of hostility that lingered. Because just a few hours before, Lambda had asked her what family was - and only now did it sink in of all she had almost lost.

Family was Asbel, watching over her by the campfire when they travelled alone. Family was Cheria, who cooked her favourite foods and bathed with her and brushed her hair. Family was safety, warmth, love; acceptance. Family were the people who had cared for her, whom the Little Queens wanted nothing more than destroy. Family protected her, kept her safe, wanted nothing more than her own happiness.

Family was with her all along.

_"Tell me- are you truly as wicked as I?" _

"Wicked?" She lifted her gaze to watch the shadow in front of her. The pulsating form before her revealed neither his form nor his face, but she could sense his confusion- and his sorrow- around her.

_"You know of the choices I made."_

Of course she did. Yet, despite everything he said, Sophie realized that if there was anyone who was wicked between the two of them now, it would be her.

Because he was the one who chose to act when the light struck. He had expended his life force to shield not only his host, but her, and everyone else she cared about. Because she had failed to protect them; had put them in danger.

And he had made the choice to save the people she had abandoned.

There was a lump in her throat. But before she could do anything, he faded, bringing the darkness with him as he went. Suddenly, she was back in the airship, back with Asbel about to pose her a question. Yet before he could speak, the redhead winced.

"Asbel?" Gone was the trepidation she felt at addressing her father. Now she stepped close to him, worried, her fingers prying at his hands.

"I felt something-" Asbel muttered, but within a moment, his gaze flicked back over to her- paternal, concerned, his eyes clouded with a soft rage as he realized what had occurred; what he had failed to prevent. "Did he hurt you?"

"No," she answered with a small shake of her head. And truthfully, Lambda hadn't- if anything, it was the reverse. Even though she still had no answer to the pain that throbbed in her heart, it no longer felt as all-consuming as it did but a moment before. And for once, she didn't _want _her nemesis to be blamed for something he didn't do. "Lambda- Lambda didn't _want_ to harm me."

"I see," Asbel watched her carefully; disbelievingly. But when she said nothing more, he glanced away and sighed. "I was worried that the Little Queens-" He hesitated, then continued, "whether what they said got to him too."

Sophie frowned, barely concealing her surprise even as the realization clicked in her mind.

They had called to him too.

She bit her lip- all this time, he _knew. _His words, his warning, the way he could tell what the Little Queen meant to her- it only made sense if he heard the same things she did; felt the same pull she had. And despite his age-long hatred for humanity, despite who he _was_- he had protected them. She didn't know why, didn't know how he hadn't acquiesced to the Little Queens- but it only drove his words deeper into her heart.

He had every right to be furious, to have called her weak.

"Sophie?" Asbel was surprised as she buried her head into his torso, trying to stem the odd sensation that had replaced the ache in her heart. Awkwardly, he pat her head, but she took comfort in his presence- in the fact that he was still here, still alive.

"It's okay," she mumbled into his jacket, clutching at the fabric that she knew so well, the person- the father and friend- that she had almost cast aside.

She wasn't sure whether she could resist the Little Queens like Lambda had; wasn't sure whether she could protect her family like he had done. But Asbel and everyone else was still alive now.

And she was done mourning for those that had yet to die.

* * *

_Sooo Author Note time._

This story is only like 5 chapters+epilogue tops, and this was the chapter that made me write the whole fic to begin with. As such, there was a lot of effort put in to (hopefully) induce plenty of drama in this chapter. Part of me wishes that I had more chapters to give dramatic buildup and tension and draw more parallels between Lambda and Sophie and add more character development, but well, it felt as though that would have bogged down the story rather than helped it- especially since this is supposed to take place alongside the game so eh.

_Anyway, next chapter's conversation is going to be the actual one from the game, so it's definitely shorter than this and I hope that it transits seamlessly into one another without sounding like there's an abrupt break._


	4. Gallant

_This particular chapter is based off the actual scene where Sophie talks to Lambda in Telos Astue before the party gallivants off to shut down Fodra's core._

* * *

**Gallant**

_"I want to help the people of Lhant live happier lives, even if just a little. And I want the same happiness for their children, and their grandchildren, and onward."- Asbel_

* * *

Sneaking into rooms uninvited was starting to become a bad habit of hers.

Yet, as Sophie stepped lightly over the panels in the small room the men had claimed for their rest, she knew that things were different from that time, not-so-long ago, in the Amarcian inn. _She _was different. Back then, she would never had thought it possible that she would find somewhere else where she could belong; would never acknowledge the possibility of betraying her family. Back then, she believed that she would live forever, completely alone and completely in despair.

But she wouldn't, would she?

She would always remember how it was but a few hours ago; the way the evening Fodran light cast an orange glow on Asbel as they had sat in the launch bay, the way he seemed quiet and pensive, and... hopeful. He wasn't like her or the Little Queens, wasn't powerful or immortal or even _intelligent _most of the time- but _he _had understood something important that they could never have, and the words he said had opened her eyes to the world she never knew she had; to the possibility of a purpose, a duty, that far outclassed any longing for ignorant bliss.

Even now, she felt the light joy that beat through her body like butterflies. The people she loved- they would always remain with her, in her memories, in the dreams that they entrusted to her. And what better way to protect who they were than to honour their lives as they lived now, their hopes for the future, their dreams and their families that would come? And in their children, she would find companionship, other people whose lives would be just as precious and fleeting, other dreams that she would watch ignite and fulfilled within her lifetime.

But the thought no longer provoked fear. If anything, it gave her a bittersweet happiness; and beyond that, relief. She would protect her friends and their legacies, and in that she found what she had been looking for all this time.

The future, which had once seemed so dark and unwelcoming, suddenly seemed not as fearful as the Little Queens made it out to be. But in order for that future to take form, Sophie knew that she had to fight tomorrow- for all the lives that she swore she would protect; for all that the name Asbel gave her meant. She hoped for a peaceful resolution, but the Little Queens- Fodra herself- were fighting for the very same- a future where they could live their dreams; a life where they would find peace.

She was so very much like the Little Queens. But unlike those women whom she had been borne from, she knew the potential for love that humanity was capable of; knew what lay beyond the ghostly existence of simply living, without pain, without sorrow. Knew, because she saw the brighter side of humanity just as much as she saw the darker heart of it, and lived only because of it.

And there was someone else that was just like them; just like her- someone whom she would have to count on tomorrow to save not only her family, but all of their futures.

Even now, it was far too easy to remember that the Lambda of old would have followed Fodra willingly if it meant an end to his pain. But the Lambda that slumbered now before her- that Asbel was willing to entrust with his body- he was... not the same.

Every single one of her companions had chosen to put their faith in Lambda. Every single one of them had trusted the fact that he wouldn't harm them; that he would return Asbel to them. For Sophie, it wasn't easy- to put aside the feelings and knowledge of who he had been and believe he could be something _else. _But he was the one who warned her, who had tried to protect her, who had reminded her what was most important to her when she couldn't see it herself.

He never understood the world as she had, and yet he did- because he had always made the choice that she wouldn't take, always fought her every step of the way. But now, they were united in a common goal; united by a common person.

Asbel wanted her to trust Lambda. She finally understood why the creature had seemingly changed- because no doubt Asbel had tried to help him as he had helped her. It was because of that influence that he had reacted the way he had, when she threw everything that mattered to her away. And as she leaned over her father's sleeping form and rested her fingertips on Asbel's closed left eye, she was more afraid that Lambda wouldn't trust _her. _

Still, despite her reservations, he answered her unspoken call. The rest of the world faded into obscurity, until all she could sense was the mind of her nemesis. His guard was up, and she could feel his unease as he regarded her. After their last confrontation, she couldn't blame her old foe.

_"Hello, Protos Heis." _

If anything, that was the _nicest _she had ever heard from Lambda. He sounded cautious, but gone was the hateful darkness that had so often shrouded him, nor the confusion that had disconcerted him before. He, too, had found his resolution- and Sophie could only choose to believe that it was the right one.

Stymieing her trepidation, she focused on the reason she was here. "I have something important to tell you, Lambda."

_"Have you come to destroy me?" _he rumbled darkly, his distrust flaring out and the familiar darkness pervading his words- reminding her who he was. As if she could ever forget. _"If you destroy me, this man will be destroyed in turn."_

The threat was an old one- one that had first instigated her fear when Asbel protected Lambda, almost a year ago. If he still harbored thoughts of remaking the world by merging with the core, he had a much bigger prize now in Fodra, and Asbel was more than willing to hand him his body on a silver platter.

But that was no longer the case, was it? Instead of the venom she heard back in the Amarcian Enclave, now all she heard was his trepidation. They both knew that the one definite way the mission tomorrow would fail was if Lambda was taken out of the picture; and given their last conversation- given what she had almost done, Sophie could understand why he would fear for his life.

But now, she detected that his fear was for more than just himself. If she came to destroy him now, what would become of _them_- of Asbel and his companions? He was still uncertain of these feelings, these thoughts, but one thing was certain: if she came to fight-

"No," Sophie replied, biting down on her lingering traces of guilt. "In fact, it's the opposite."

There was the scarcest hint of surprise in his voice when he responded. _"What do you mean?" _

"I'm not going to fight you anymore." Despite everything she once thought; everything she once knew- the words came to her far easier than she expected.

And though he would never admit it, she knew that Lambda _had_ changed.

"I've decided to trust you," she continued."I know that Asbel can be reckless sometimes. So take good care of him, okay?"

He knew how difficult it was for her to come to him now- knew how difficult it must have been for her to say those words. And even then, she was willing to entrust her family- everything that she wished to protect- to _him. _Hesitantly, he acknowledged her trust- found himself unsure what to say to it; unsure when they had crossed the line between enemy and ally. Confused- as to what they were, how he should react.

_"Hmph."_ Somehow, he summoned just enough derision to mock the idea that he would not protect his host. And even though it felt like she had so much more to say, Sophie knew that she wouldn't have to.

Like always, he faded away without a word, as if their conversation had never taken place. Even so, Sophie recognized a new sensation as he left- a faint, lingering trace of his smile in her thoughts; and with it, a strange semblance of pride- in her; in her resolve. After all, he knew best the courage it took to overcome one's own fears for the people around them.

She slipped out of the room quietly. The wind on Fodra was dry and crisp, and the city around her made not a sound; silent and dead. This was where the ashes of a ruined civilization, brought down by its folly and its greed, lay like a stark reminder of everything she came from. Yet, her surroundings triggered only a soft regret in her thoughts, no longer the burden of isolation that had bogged her down for so long.

It was odd that it would be here, in the ruins of the city they both hated, that had spawned their millennium of conflict, that she and Lambda would overcome their differences- and that they would do so by entrusting each other with the protection of their friends- the most precious humans that had given both of them a second chance.

Now it was their turn to return the favour. And even though she knew they would be facing Fodra itself tomorrow, even though the odds were stacked against them far greater than ever before...

They both knew where they finally belonged.

* * *

_This chapter was actually the one I felt a bit iffy about, because taking text from the game and actually trying to work in a slightly different context for it is kinda... well, theoretically if the headcanon works, it should work, but I can't help but wonder whether I'm stretching it a little. __All things considered, this was a short chapter given that the material was so limited, but it really made me appreciate the dialogue writing in this game._


	5. Poignant

_Takes place post-game, right after Asbel and Sophie return to Lhant!_

* * *

**Poignant**

_"I no longer consider myself alone in this world. Not with a friend who can live forever."- Lambda_

* * *

Sophie hadn't known how much she missed Lhant until they finally returned. It was already late evening when they finally entered the town, the familiar stone walls tinted orange in the light of the setting sun. The townspeople, noticing their arrival, were enthusiastic and filled with jubilation at their safe return. It was far more noise than she had been used to after spending months a thousands of miles away on a distant planet, but it was warm; happy. _  
_

Luckily, the impromptu party was cut short when Asbel declared he was far too tired and retired, Sophie close on his heels. As it was, he did not lie- the exhaustion of facing up to Fodra and wielding Lambda as he did had greatly sapped his strength, and it was all she could do to help her father take off his coat and into his bed. His head had scarcely hit the pillow when he was fast asleep, his 'goodnight' trailing off into a gentle snore.

Sophie smiled at the sight, pulling the covers over Asbel's shoulders. Less than a day before, they had challenged the greatest force they had ever met- challenged the will of a planet itself- and they had _won. _And now everything was as it should be- peaceful and safe, where people could finally continue on with their lives.

And she could finally continue on with hers. Even though she would always be immortal, it no longer felt restrictive or lonely- she now realized she had so much to live for, so many things to learn and see and do. She had promised both Asbel and the Little Queen, after all.

Gently, she placed a hand on Asbel's shoulder. But it wasn't her father that she wanted to speak to now.

"Lambda?"

She wasn't sure whether the creature would respond. He had said he would sleep, and ever since they left Fodra, she felt his presence dwindling, lulled back into a deep slumber. Once, the thought would have brought her relief, but now it left her regretful. Despite everything that had happened between them, she found herself wishing, just once more, to speak to her oldest foe; her newest friend.

And to her surprise, he responded.

_"You did well, Protos Heis." _

Lambda's words were soft, drowsy as he fought off sleep. His power thrummed under her hand, but he was exhausted from the battle as well. He spoke as if from a distant place, his baritone voice no longer drowning out everything around her.

But it was his words that caught her by surprise. Praise was not something she was used to receiving from someone who once wanted her dead.

_"I would not say these words if I did not mean them," _he rumbled. _"You are... not the same girl that I hated."_

She wasn't sure what to say. For so long, she had been so used to simply hating Lambda, being the light to his darkness. Yet, over the past few months, that presumption had been utterly shattered. Once, the enmity between them had seemed so natural. But that was gone now, replaced by a hesitant, gentle respect on both their ends. And she found herself floundering; uncertain what to do now that the balance between them had been scrapped. There were so many potential ways their paths could diverge, and she had no idea where it was that they would go.

All she knew was that the choice lay firmly in her hands; that what she said now either had the potential to lay the foundation for their friendship or return it to the ambivalence that had existed before.

"You're not the same either," she murmured hesitantly. She knew it, of course, but admitting it to him was different- as if saying the words would destroy the illusion of it being real. But it was real, wasn't it? "You saved Ephinea and Fodra. And you kept Asbel safe."

_"Protecting Asbel is not something I can leave to you alone," _he returned wryly. _"Were it not for us, this fool would require an entire army to ensure his safety."_

Sophie chuckled lightly. "That's true," she admitted, a small smile lingering on her face as she regarded her sleeping father. She could still remember how he had looked when Lambda was in control; when two radiant, purple eyes stared back at her instead of familiar blue ones. Yet, instead of seizing Asbel and destroy them all, Lambda had taken all of Fodra's anger and swore he would calm it, just like Asbel did for him. And he said- he had _asked _her to watch over his progress, before he returned her father to them.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

He was surprised by those words. _"I did nothing beyond what was required of me."_

She shook her head. "Not just when we fought Fodra. Thank you for saving everyone when... when I-" She took a deep breath. "Thank you- for reminding me what was important to me."

Sophie wasn't sure how Lambda would respond. He shifted nervously in his mind, as if he too, was struggling to put his feelings into words.

_"I called you weak, once," _he responded after a time. He spoke slowly, putting some effort to intonate every syllable. _"I see now that I was wrong."_

For a second, she wasn't sure how to reply. Then, with a despondent sag to her shoulders, she ducked her head.

"But I _was _weak," she murmured. "If you didn't save us then-"

_"No," _Lambda said tersely. _"You overcame your weakness. If nothing else, it should be I who thanks you, Protos Heis."_

Sophie blinked. "What-what do you mean?"

_"If not for your failure, I would not have realized-" _He hesitated, and she could sense his frustration. It was just as difficult for him to be honest with his words as it was for her, it seemed. Patiently, she waited, and she could sense his gratefulness for that.

Finally, he said softly, _"Human emotion... is foreign to me."_

"I recall," she murmured with a sad smile.

_"But I do... care." _Lambda said the word cautiously._ "And were it not your failure- I, too, would not have realized what was important to me."_

It took Sophie time to realize she was staring into nothing, that her grip on Asbel's shoulder had unconsciously tightened. She had always known, somehow, that Lambda was more than he seemed- that he was not just the inhuman monster he always portrayed himself to be. So when she realized that he was entrusting her with his deepest of hearts- the vulnerability beneath his armor- she felt a small bubble of elation in her heart that she couldn't quite suppress.

_"We are on even ground now, Protos Heis," _he said, his brusque words tinged with embarrassment. _"Just as I know your weakness- so too, do you know mine."_

"Of course," she whispered. They had always been on the same path, felt the same pain- longed for the same things. For so long, she had been lost- uncertain where she belonged, who she even was. And Lambda had hated and hurt and destroyed without realizing what was truly important all along. And it was only then, in that crucial moment on Fodra, that they had both truly understood what it was that mattered to them the most.

How strange that it would be their love for their friends that united them, that made them realize how much they had depended on the other without realizing it.

"Can you ever forgive me?" she asked softly. "For what I almost did?"

_"Can you?"_ he echoed, his voice betraying his fear. _"For all that I did?"__  
_

She paused. Once, her denial would have been immediate, but Lambda was right- she wasn't the same girl she once was; and neither was he. And she finally understood why it was that Asbel had taken her old enemy under his wing.

With a soft sigh, she said, "I will try."

She could feel the slight tinge of happiness that came from his heart at the words, despite how much the reverse should had been true. And though the remorse they both felt would take years to fade, it _would _fade. She knew that much.

_"Promise me." _Lambda's voice was dead serious as he spoke again. _"Promise me that you wouldn't-" _He paused, unsure how to best give form to the words he wished to say, but Sophie needed no explanation; not when she could clearly recall her desperation as she watched her family about to die, because of _her. _

"I promise," she whispered. "It won't ever happen again." She would never falter in her duty- in her belief, in who she was- ever again.

She could feel his acknowledgement. And beyond that- his relief. She understood the feeling all too well, to realize that the enemy before her would truly no longer harm her, or anyone else she cared about.

He sighed, lapsing into silence once more. From their temporary bond, she could feel the lead weight of drowsiness that he struggled against, and a sense of finality settled over her. They would not be able to continue this conversation for much longer, but there was yet one more thing she wanted to talk to the creature about.

Closing her eyes, she said, "let's not fight anymore, Lambda."

He hesitated. _"I do not know_._" _Despite how easily he had called her his friend on Fodra, there were so many things they had yet to learn about being friends, let alone with one another. _"I am certain there will be... things we will not agree upon."_

She understood. But just as much, she wanted to trust in the potential of their future. "Then- we'll just work through them together," she said resolutely.

He chuckled in her mind-and it neither bore the heavy oppression that she was used to nor the sad regret that so often carried with his words. No, it was bright- hopeful. She imagined his gentle smile as he said, _"You are truly your father's daughter." _

Briefly, she thought that she would've liked to talk to him more; regretted that the time she had now was so short.

_"We have all eternity, Protos Heis," _came Lambda's quiet words. _"There is plenty of time for you to stand in my way."_

She didn't say anything, but despite herself, she felt her lips tug into a smile. As the seconds ticked by, she sat still until his presence vanished from her senses, until the only sound she heard was Asbel's gentle snores. There was no reason for her to stay, but Sophie felt compelled to linger for a moment longer, to commit every word exchanged to memory.

It was the first time they had ever spoken without the need for barriers or lies. It was the first time they had conversed not as enemies, or even allies- but as friends. And for a moment, Sophie felt as though she had been able to see into Lambda's heart. Just as, on Fodra not so long ago, he had seen into hers and helped her find her path.

For a thousand years, they wished the other dead. And yet now, in a single, poignant moment, they had laid all of that to rest; traversed a thousand years' worth of obstacles and hate in but a few short months- and found what they had always been looking for.

_Peace. Family. Home._

"Sweet dreams," she whispered softly, as she leaned over and kissed Asbel on the forehead.

Lambda was right. They had all eternity- and everything in between- to make sure that the world they wished to protect would have a bright future for everyone they loved.


	6. Unadorned

**Unadorned**

* * *

Asbel, as it turned out, was the last person she should have gone to for help.

Sophie sat unflinchingly as her father stared at the book in front of him. The rest of the study was immaculate save for the desk they sat at now, where huge piles of papers stood on either side of her vision. The sunlight streamed in from the tall glass windows and fell over her clasped hands, and outside, she could glimpse a cloudless, blue sky.

It was just another calm, lazy day in Lhant. The perfect day, Sophie had thought, for an impromptu lesson.

When Cheria last wrote, she had suggested that the new daughter of Lhant should consider gaining an education- something she never needed as a humanoid- and Sophie had seen the merit of it- if she wanted to protect this world, she'd need to know everything that could possibly be of use to her. So she had immediately searched Asbel's study for textbooks and brought her prize to her father. Unfortunately, it seemed that while Asbel was a capable swordsman and shaping up to be a good lord and father, he was _not _the best tutor possible.

So now he frowned, lips pursed as his finger tapped the line that befuddled him so. The answer had been written down along with the question, but for the life of her- and Asbel as well- Sophie hadn't understood how such a linear string of numbers had evolved into a compounding headache.

"Should we ask Frederick?" Sophie asked at last, resting her chin on folded arms as she leaned on the table. Cheria's grandfather had overseen the healer's education; perhaps she should have asked the manservant before bringing this up with her father.

"No!" Asbel said quickly- a bit too quickly, Sophie thought. "I mean- I've almost got this figured out!"

She bit back a sigh and would have glanced away, but a flash of purple caught her eye. It was but for a second, but there was a glimpse of awareness in Asbel's left eye; a glow that told her someone else was watching. And with a faint exasperation, she realized whose help Asbel had been waiting for.

With a small smile, she slipped one hand across the table and touched Asbel's wrist lightly. The lord looked up at the contact, but before he could say anything, the creature that dwelled in his mind spoke.

_"Asbel Lhant is truly a marvel to behold," _Lambda snidely remarked to her, speaking aloud so that Asbel could hear. _"I have never found another mind so comfortably empty."_

"Hey!" Asbel protested, but Sophie couldn't stifle her giggles.

"Can you help?" she asked then, ducking her head so that she wouldn't need to see Asbel's surprised stare.

_"This is beneath me."_ Lambda's voice resonated clearly._ "I should not have to play tutor to you."_

She could hear Asbel's sharp intake of breath, as if he expected a skirmish to erupt between the two of them in the middle of his study. But where once it was far too easy for them to clash over anything and everything, things were... different now. Peering up through her bangs, she noticed the twinkle of amusement in her father's left eye that she couldn't have missed, one that spoke of a dry humour she had become used to since Fodra through the sporadic conversations they had.

"What if I said please?" Sophie asked seriously even as she suppressed the urge to smile.

_"Hmph. Perhaps."_ There was a genuine, contented warmth in Lambda's voice that hadn't been there all those months ago. _"Since this fool has wakened me for such a minuscule task, I suppose I shall see it through."_

Her father shrugged helplessly at her questioning gaze, his expression still completely bewildered as he regarded her. "I thought he'd know."

_"Asbel simply wishes to find something else to while away his time so that he does not have to return to his paperwork," _Lambda muttered pointedly.

"I- I am _not-" _Asbel sputtered, which elicited more giggles from her. The lord seemed utterly perplexed by the situation he found himself in, his gaze rapidly shifting from her face to where their hands met.

_"Nevertheless, he is right," _Lambda concluded with a heavy sigh. _"I do know. Pay close attention, Protos Heis, Asbel Lhant. I will not repeat myself." _

She nodded and slid closer. Within a few succinct sentences, he had laid the solution out before them. Even Asbel seemed to get over his initial confusion to partake in the conversation, and with a patience that she would not have originally attributed to Lambda, the creature continued to explain away all the false misconceptions that she had, his voice light and... welcoming, even. He went as far as to explain a few more questions for them before being satisfied that they understood the concept and concluding the lesson.

_"Your mind is sharp," _Lambda praised her as she finished one question after another. _"Far sharper than the sieve I chose as my host."_

"Do you really have to?" Asbel grumbled. He had long given up making sense of the situation and had simply gone with the flow of the conversation, perhaps simply grateful that they weren't trying to tear his home apart.

_"This is but child's play," _the creature chided his host gently. _"Still, even you made good progress today."_

"Today?" Sophie lifted her gaze to glance at the eye of her friend. "Does this mean you'll help us out again?"

Lambda paused, turning the idea over in his mind. _"Perhaps I would," _he answered at last. _"This has been a... refreshing change of pace."_

She smiled. A year ago, she would never have imagined this. She had just spent an afternoon in the sun-lit libraries of Lhant, at peace in the presence of both Asbel and Lambda. With her once-nemesis and her speaking on such casual terms, speaking of simple matters that involved nothing life-or-world-threatening, nothing that caused her worry or fear. With the thought of Lambda _teaching _her neither sounding bizarre nor unwelcome.

"I look forward to it," she answered.

_"Do not think it will be easy," _he warned her.

"I think I'll manage." She smiled, meeting his gaze.

And in his violet eye, she saw her reflection. He chuckled,_ "I would expect nothing less."_

She sensed his departure, the warm presence of his touch fading even as the light in Asbel's eye dulled till it was back to its regular hue. Quietly, she turned back to the book in front of her, pencil scribbling as she worked her way through the numerous questions with relative ease.

"Hey, uh... Sophie?" Asbel interrupted her after a few minutes, scrunching forward conspiratorially.

"Uh-huh?"

"Since when did you and Lambda get... so close?"

Her scribbling slowed as she considered the question. She looked up at her father, whose brows had scrunched together in consternation, shoulders hunched as he watched her not with judgement, but with curiosity. As far as he knew, they had always been eternal foes, their hatred for each other never dimming. Yet, ever since Fodra- ever since they had both passed through a crucible that only the other could understand; ever since they both _changed_- they hadn't fought, hadn't threatened or tormented the other. And for the past few months, they had shared brief conversations while Asbel slept- over silly things, over serious things.

And today, their conversation had been completely everyday- completely normal. It was a fledgling friendship, one that had taken firm root but had yet to grow. She had found a strange sense of kinship with Lambda- one borne of conflict, but now it united them in the desire to protect those dearest to them. And as she listlessly twirled the pencil with her fingers, she wondered how she could explain all of that to her father.

"Sophie," Asbel prodded her lightly, not-so-subtly demanding an answer. His violet eye was dormant now, but she couldn't help but wonder whether Lambda could hear them in his dreams.

And with a wide smile, she laughed.

"When we talked."

* * *

**_End_  
**

* * *

_Author's Notes: And so it's finally over and done! Thank you for reading this fic to the end!_

_I always felt that Sophie and Lambda's arcs during Graces f would have a lot more impact and clarity if they actually interacted with each other; drawing both similarity and contrast to show their respective developments, as well as the way they go from enemies to friends. Based on that idea, I tried to write a fic that would center around the idea of them conversing- because they spent so much time fighting each other that they never actually talked to one another and got to know the other. I wanted to use conversation as a subject point because I wanted to try expressing that conversation is more than just mere words, and communication after 1000 years of fighting one another would have been an interesting uphill struggle to portray- especially since neither one would originally be interested in communicating with the other. It was also fun because the last fic I wrote had absolutely no talking at all and in the process of writing this fic I've come to appreciate that words reflect so much more than what's seen on the surface. I hope that I managed to succeed in that ideal, and hope that you've enjoyed this fic._

_Dedications to Daidairo as my beta, who has been patiently putting up with my constant nitpicking tendencies and inane ramblings!_


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